The Shadow Cloaked Man and the Long Lost Time Traveler
by Marc Jacobson
Summary: The Bone -Eater's well trapped Kagome in her time for seven years and when she returns she finds that three hundred years have passed for her friends. The supernatural threat that is destroying the modern world is present as well in 19th century Japan and Kagome must figure out a way to stop the threat in both time periods before it is too late.
1. Chapter 1

A tall young man walked through the darkness of the night. It was cold the season on the verge of changing to winter though the man either did not care or did not feel the cold for he wore a thin blue short sleeved top and billowing red pants. His bright copper hair was tied in a high topknot and a short sword hung at his waist. Ears with sharp points were at the side of his head framing his inhumanly handsome face. His ocean blue eyes pierced through the blackness of the night revealing the secrets of the world as if the afternoon sun hung in the sky. If an observer were to gaze upon the man the first thing they would notice perhaps is the long, fully foxtail that extended behind him. His nose twitched as he breathed in the smells of the forest. The scent of blood filled his nose. It filled his nostril overriding the other scents of the forest. His eyes narrowed and he faster than a race horse in the direction of the scent. Trees whipped by him at a blur. Their branches illuminated by the crescent moon in the sky.

He slid to a stop as a village appeared in sight. It was flanked on either side by a narrow river. Rice patty fields ran adjacent to it. The village was silent not unusual at this time of night for the moon was past its apex. However the lack of candle light or smoke from a fire was what stood out. The redhead walked slowly to the village. The silence became eerie. His keen hearing couldn't make out the usual sounds that came with a human settlement: soft sighs, whispers, nor the inhale and exhale of the lungs.

The smell of blood was almost overpowering now as he came to the village entrance. His footsteps were silent and he moved in a stealthy stalk passing by the bell at the entrance of the village without ringing it. His eyes began to glow and he projected his subconscious outward searching for some sort of life force. He found one.

The first body was that of a young woman. Her top was soaked with blood. Her right arm hung at an awkward angle. Broken. Her body was slumped forward her face hidden. She was placed againist the entrance to a wooden hut. Blood collected at the bottom of the doorway staining the tail of the straw mat which served as the door. Undoubtedly from more bodies inside.

As the copper haired man pulled even with the woman he heard a gurgling sound emitted from her throat. He rushed towards her clearing the distance between them with inhuman quickness. He lifted her head gently cradling it in his hands and pulled her body straight to see her face. He nearly dropped her in surprise and disgust when confronted with the sight of her torn out throat. It stilled gushed out blood soaking his hands. The woman eyes cracked open and she stared up at him. Her eyes were filled with fear and delirium. Her hands grasped weakly at his arms her fingers too weak to hold on to him. She opened her mouth as if to speak but here tongue was gone and she could form no words. Tears ran down her cheeks washing away streaks of dirt. He held until her grasping stopped and her eyes glazed over.

His ears twitched and he shot up ready for whatever was watching him. He scanned the rooftops and saw nothing. He listened for another sound but all he heard was the river. The abundance of blood prevented him from getting a scent. Calming his breathing, he walked to wards the center of town.

Despite not being able to sense anything he could feel something in the air. All of the blood in the village was fresh and evidenced by the dying woman's injuries whatever happened here occurred in the past hour. Meaning that whoever was responsible for this was still nearby.

The entire village was littered with bodies. Their clothes were soaked with blood and every one of them had their throats ripped out just as the first dead woman he encountered did. Men, women and children of all ages were scattered haphazardly across the village. Not a single one of them lived. Whatever had done this was clearly not human as there was very little signs of a struggle. The village had been taken by surprise and without warning leaving its one hundred inhabitants no chance of defending themselves.

He stepped into the rough circle which formed the center of the village. He stopped and closed his eyes projecting his conscious outward once again. He probed longer than last time pressing out farther his search more intensive. Nothing once again. As he was retracting his mental search he felt something. It was alien to him neither human nor demon. The conscious was wisp like shifting each time his mind pressed against it. Yet each time it was contacted the beat of a drum resonated through his heart. The copper haired man could feel his muscles weaken as fear set through his being. The fear was unnatural and not of his own design. He snarled in response. His sharp canines were bared and fire leapt from his palms racing outward. The blue flames danced across the rooftops. Spinning, he scorched a building behind him seeing the dark figure on top of it disappear.

There was a shift of air and his quick reflexes saved him from the swipe of a sword which would have severed his neck. His short sword pressed against the blade intent on taking his head. Before his eyes could make out who held the sword he was spinning and swatted away the stab aimed at his back. The next attacks came in a blur. From all sides his defenses were pressed by the same blade and it's wielder. His attacker moved with inhuman speed that rivaled his own. Shadows curved around the attacker preventing him identifying who was behind the sword.

The copper haired man jumped backwards flipping through the air and landing on the roof a building thirty feet away from where he had been. He saw another flicker of the shadows and a long stream of fire erupted from his hand. The fire's intent was not to burn but to reveal. The unnatural cloak of darkness around his attacker dissipated and a man was revealed.

"That's some useful magic. Can't say I've ever seen it before. What are you?" The newly revealed man asked. His clothes were a dark brown and grey in the fashion of the foreigners who now came to Japan.

"I could ask you the same question?" The copper haired boy yelled. His voice was smooth not revealing the fear that hung heavy in his chest threating to immobilize him. "You have no aura. How is that possible?"

"Ah. You must be one of those demons that I've heard so much about. I thought you were all going extinct?"

The copper haired teen ignored the question. "Are you responsible for what happened here? You reek of blood."

"Why does it matter? Angry that I got here first? I hear you demons are ruthless." The man taunted in a thick accent. His hair was golden and his features were unlike that of any native of Honshu or the rest of Japan for that matter. He undoubtedly came with the travelers and merchants who originated from places they called Europe and America.

"To answer your question yes I am a demon. Fox demon to precise. I am Shippo Nakamura, Lieutenant of Supreme emperor Sesshoumaru. It is by his law under the penalty of death that no demon attacks any human or interfere with their affairs. I charge you with the crime of the destruction of this village and the murder of its inhabitants. I am bound by duty and honor o bring to the demon realm where you will be judged for your crimes. If you refuse to come or you run then you will be in direct violation of Emperor Sesshoumaru's word and I will hunt you and destroy you. "

The blond haired man with the foreign features laughed. "Well mate, the problem is that I am no demon and I know not of this Sesshoumaru you speak of nor do I recognize his laws. As you can see." He grinned and gestured to the bodies around him. "Though I would love to see you try and kill me." His jump carried him through the air but before his blade could connected with the fox's a crossbow bolt buried itself in his chest inches from his heart. His body slammed into the ground.

Shippo turned quickly watching as another crossbow bolt buried itself in the blonde's leg. The man screamed in pain took off into the night, his movements were a blur. Shippo's eyes widened. His senses had picked up the sacred aura surrounding the crossbow bolts. He jumped from the rooftop landing lightly and walked towards the woman holding the crossbow. She had it lowered in a non-threatening position. Her clothes were strange made of a material Shippo did not recognize but they clung to her form. A full face helmet covered her face. As the two of them drew close Shippo picked up her scent. His eyes widen in shock and tears threatened to spill from his eyes. She carried a scent carried a scent he hadn't smelled in three hundred years. A scent that had disappeared weeks after a girl went down a magical well to never return.

"Kagome?" he asked.

The crossbow wielding woman removed her helmet and raven hair spilled down her back. Beautiful brown eyes stared up at him. When they had last seen each other he barely came up to her knee but three hundred years had made him tall and now her head only reached his chest.

She touched his face and asked "Shippo?"

He nodded and smiled at her inquiry. "It's me Kagome."

"But how? It's only been seven years since the well closed."

Shippo shook his head. "It's been three hundred for us over here Kagome. We didn't think we were ever going to see you again."

"Three hundred? So Miroku and Sango.." She trailed off.

Shippo nodded. "They had ten kids before they passed. Nearly single handedly restarted the slayer village."

"Inuyasha is he..?"

Shippo heard the hitch in her voice. He shook his head. "No he's alive. Stronger and more stubborn than ever. He's in the demon realm with Sesshoumaru but should be back soon."

Kagome hugged him tightly pinning his arms to his sides. "I didn't know if I'd ever see you guys again. The well closed and I couldn't cross over no matter how many times I tried." Tears ran down her cheeks soaking his tunic.

"I know Inuyasha tried for months and it never worked. He visited every day for decades but nothing ever happened."

Kagome sniffed and wiped at her tears. "How is he Shippo? I knew he'd take it hard. I just didn't think I'd be gone for so long."

"He's better now but it took him a long time to get there Kagome. Sesshoumaru's assignments keep his mind occupied but deep down I know he longs for you."

"I miss him to. I tried going back every day after school. When that didn't work I searched for anything that could have helped me return."

"Didn't you have the Shikon Jewel?" Shippo asked

Kagome shook her head. "When I fell down the well something went wrong and when I awoke in my time the jewel was gone."

Shippo nodded. "We figured something happened on your end. We didn't know what though. Could only guess. How did you get back here?"

"I don't know Shippo. I'm not supposed to be here." She saw the brief flash of disappointment on his face. "A lot of things happened back in my time when I got back. Terrible things and that creature you just saw is the reason why."

"Did he come with you?" Shippo asked.

"No I don't think he did. His clothes weren't from my era. What year is this?"

"1865" Shippo replied.

Kagome recalled the dates from her history lessons. 1853 was the year four American Iron warships sailed into the bay of Edo, effectively ending Japanese isolationism and bringing about the industrial age in Japan. "You said Inuyasha was in the demon realm?"

Shippo saw the confusion on her face, "Yeah it's another planet where demons live. Sesshoumaru is the emperor of the world and Inuyasha is pretty much the prince though he denies any princely responsibilities."

Kagome smiled at that. "How do we get there? You said Inuyasha would return"

"There are portals which we use to travel to and from. There is one a few miles from here."

"Well let's go then" Kagome said.

"Wait Kagome." She looked at him. "Your clothes are different, hard like armor though unlike any armor I've seen. You have weapons like you've been preparing for a fight but you said you weren't expecting to come here."

"That thing you just fought rules the world in my time Shippo. They attacked two years after the well closed and started a war. A war which we are losing. I'm armed because I've been war for the past five years killing those things."

"So you know what he was? I couldn't get his scent and he had no demonic aura. There was no way he was human either."

"He isn't a demon or human Shippo."

"Then what was he?"

Kagome looked up in to the night sky. Her eyes seemed to star at something far in the distance. "In my time we call them vampires."


	2. History And The Beginning

Kagome sat on a giant hawk, soaring high above the cloud layer. Occasionally there was a break in the sea of clouds and she could see the lush green landscape of Japan. The land was in transformation as the people of Japan were in the grip of the industrial age trying to make up lost time to Europe and America. Factories were beginning to spring up and the villages she had once visited on her first journey through time were now towns or the beginnings of cities.

Three hundred years had altered Japan considerably and made it nearly unrecognizable to her. From her vantage point she could make out Edo Bay, known as Tokyo Bay in her time. Ships made miniscule by her height steamed in and out of the bay. They brought in trade, settlers and new ideas for the once isolated Japan. The bay was most likely the first place vampires had set foot in Japan.

In ancient times while most of Asia was plagued by demons, Europe and Africa dealt with Vampires. Two years after the well sealed her in the modern era, Vampires waged a war on humanity. The first wave of the attacks were swift and crippling. Vampires had been hiding in society for centuries so they knew where to strike first. Banks, hospitals, Oil and food supply lines were targeted first which immobilized most of the world. At first everyone believed that it was a well-organized global terror organization behind the initial attacks. When communication and power grids were shut off the blame was then placed on hostile foreign countries like North Korea and Iran. It wasn't until the nights became killing grounds and the first of the fighting started that they knew.

She had just finished high school when the war started. Japan was one of the worst countries hit and the nights were hell. Her family was holed up in their house one night when a vampire ripped open their reinforced front door. Souta had tried hitting him with a bat but the vampire caught his swing easily. He had lifted Souta in the air and was about to snap his neck when Kagome's spiritual powers obliterated him in a brilliant flash of light. She had found out what the militaries around the world were figuring out: spiritual energy was one of the most effective ways to kill vampires.

After the night of the attack she enlisted in the Japanese military and was soon promoted to the spiritual commando division. It was an elite unit composed of those born with spirit powers. The unit was part of a larger arm of an international taskforce designed to combat the vampire threat. The last thing she remembered from her time was flying over the American city of Chicago when her black hawk helicopter was shot down. Next thing she knew was waking up in the woods in this era. Kagome had no idea how she made the time leap with her being thousands of miles away from the bone eater's well but apparently she had landed in a time where vampires were first making an entrance in Japan. Shippo had told her of how he and Inuyasha exterminated rogue demons who would not return to the demon realm or who attacked humans. They had never run into any vampire and the one Shippo had fought was the first he had ever seen.

The copper hawk she rode adjusted his course and turned sharply. His massive wings flapped mightily as they drew closer to the ground. Three hundred years had altered not only Shipp's height but his magic had grown tremendously as well. Gone was balloon like creature and awkward bird he transformed into. They were replaced by the elegant raptor she rode on. His wings spanned twenty feet and had stripes of blue and gold running across the underside of them.

They buzzed over a narrow stream and landed in a clearing near the river's edge. Kagome dismounted and watched as the crimson hawk was engulfed by a blue flame. The flames dissipated and Shippo appeared in his normal form.

"You've gotten a lot better at that then from what I remember" Kagome commented.

Shippo smirked and nodded. "Passed Fox demon school with flying colors, plus training with Inuyasha and Sesshoumaru has helped a lot as well."

Kagome nodded. "I bet. They didn't push you too hard I hope?"

"The training was difficult to say in the least. Can't say I didn't consider quitting a few times. I don't know who the tougher teacher was: Inuyasha with his in your face commentary or Sesshoumaru the perfectionist but it made me the demon I am today." His tone was filled with pride.

Kagome looked around at where they landed. The streams water glistened in the sunlight. It wasn't incredibly deep but the bottom could be seen with crystal clear quality. Small fish fed at the rocky bed. The stream was surrounded on either side by forest. Winter was coming to Japan but it had not arrived so snow had yet to settle but the morning dew on the tree's was just beginning to unthaw due to the rising sun. The landscape was pristine and untouched by loggers but she had no idea how this location related to Inuyasha. "So where are we?" She asked.

"A few miles from the portal opening." Shippo answered.

"Why aren't we at the portal itself?" Kagome asked.

"Two reasons." Shippo flashed two fingers on his right hand. "One: I won't know the location of the portal until it appears. From what I understand it requires a tremendous amount of energy to bridge the demon world and this world. The gate keepers say that it's a feat in itself to land someone in Japan."

"So you're saying Inuyasha could appear on a completely different island? Or maybe a different continent?"

"Well technically he could but Inuyasha is a powerful demon and the targeting ability depends on how powerful your demonic aura is. This is the general area he usually lands in."

Kagome breathed a sigh of relief. "And the second reason?"

"Well this is the spot he always aims for but the strange thing about the targeting system is that it is almost impossible for someone to land exactly where they intend. When Inuyasha does show up there will be a few miles between you and the portal opening thus ensuring your safety."

Kagome gave him a confused look.

"The portal bridges the demon realm and this world together by bringing part of our world to this plane. In the demon realm the atmosphere is saturated with a demonic aura which is lethal to humans."

Shippo had told her before that the demon realm was inhospitable to humans when she had suggesting meeting Inuyasha. Apparently the atmosphere was toxic in addition to being saturated with a demonic aura. Shippo said that if the toxicity of the air didn't kill a human first then the perpetual aura in the air would corrupt a human soul. Inuyasha had to travel back to this realm every month on the night of the new moon to avoid that fate.

"So when do you think Inuyasha will return?" Kagome asked. Even now butterflies flew in her stomach. A feeling that had been absent for a while. Seven years had changed her as person, giving her time to grow and mature. She had been desperate to get back to feudal era when the well had sealed but after the war began her priorities shifted. Coming to terms with the fact that she would never see Inuyasha again had been necessary. The circumstances of her time prevented her from wallowing in depression and may have forced her to move on faster than she would have if the war had never started.

She succeeded in moving her memories and hopes that emerged from those memories about her place in feudal japan at Inuyasha's side to the recesses of her mind. Now with her return to the past, emotions that remained in her heart rose to the surface.

"I don't know for sure. Definitely sometime within the month."

"How often does he return to our realm?" Kagome inquired.

"Usually just a few days a month. He spends most of his time over there with Sesshoumaru."

"I assume they get along much better now?"

"Yeah they haven't tried to kill each other in over a century."

Kagome laughed. In the months after Naraku's defeat the rivalry between the brothers had cooled significantly. She had suspected in a few years that they might even develop a civil relationship but she never imagined that they would become so close. "How did they manage that?"

Shippo looked at her. His eyes were blue green in the light and were too brightly colored for natural human eyes. "They built an empire."

"An empire? Please explain."

"It's a long story to tell."

Kagome motioned at the surrounding forest. "I'm pretty sure we have time Shippo. Besides I've told you my story and you haven't provided many details about what happened while I was away. "She poked his chest to emphasize her point.

"Okay, I'll tell you some of what happened because most of this story is not mine to tell. Inuyasha would rather you hear it from him."

Shippo motioned for her to sit down next to him on a log near the streams edge. Her combat boots crunched against the rocks as she moved. The air had a chill to it which dug its way through her armor. Her armor was made of a tough nano-fibrous material. The material made the light armor stronger than steel and more effective than Kevlar in stopping projectiles. The additional external plating protecting her chest, shoulder and shins paired with its digital camouflage design made the armor perfect for the rigors of modern – urban combat. However it did not do enough to protect her from the cold. Shippo noticed her shivering and with a snap of his fingers the air around her was suddenly warm. She gasped in amazement.

Shippo smirked at her and began the story. "After the well-sealed I left Kaede's village to train at the fox demon school. Inuyasha mostly stuck around never traveling more than a day's run from the village. He didn't leave the village until Kaede passed away and Miroku and Sango decided to rebuild the slayer village. He spent the majority of his time with them for over twenty years until their children became old enough to start slayer training themselves. When I visited Miroku and Sango they told me that Inuyasha left in the middle of the night without a word. We were all worried about him. When the well-sealed Inuyasha changed. At first he was just his usual grumpy self but smiled less frequently until he stopped smiling all together. We didn't see him again until Miroku was on his death bed. He appeared without warning. It gave the village quite a scare as most the young people had no idea who he was. He stayed there until Miroku passed and then left without a word. Sango died six months later. Inuyasha didn't make his presence known at the funeral but I felt his aura and knew he was watching. From then Inuyasha began his spiral. I didn't see him for another half century but I heard the stories of his travels far and wide. He searched for the most powerful demons and destroyed them."

"Why?" Kagome interrupted.

"I think he was looking for a way to die but none of them could kill him. It wasn't until a demon from hell appeared that he came close to getting his wish. The demon was trying to open a portal to hell so his armies could wipe out humans and establish and empire. It took Inuyasha, Sesshoumaru and the members of the high council to defeat him. In the battle the demon absorbed the Tetsiga and kill Totosai so Inuyasha could not make a new one. Inuyasha's demon side quickly became a problem and it was Sesshoumaru who saved Inuyasha's sanity and for the next three decades he taught Inuyasha how to control his demon side."

"How did he teach him to control it? We were warned that Inuyasha's soul would be absorbed if he tapped into that power."

"When they defeated the demon from hell, the portal to the demon realm opened. The aura in the air helped Inuyasha control his powers to a certain degree. They then began to rebuild the Inuyoukai Empire."

"Rebuild? You mean there was one before?"

Shippo nodded. "Inuyasha and Sesshoumaru are descended from a long line of very powerful youkai who once ruled the entire western lands of the youkai realm. The portal to the youkai realm was sealed for over three thousand before the hell demon opened the gates. On Seozuno, our name for the youkai realm, Inuyasha and Sesshoumaru are called the reclaimers."

"What is it like over there?"

"Beautiful and deadly. The nations are in a constant state of war. That has motivated the two of them to cooperate and together they form a formidable pair."

Kagome and Shippo talked for hours until the sun was high in the sky. He filled her in on how Miroku and Sango lived out their lives and the things he had done and seen over the centuries. Tears occasionally filled her eyes when they talked about their long dead friends but Shippo's jokes alleviated her sadness before they could fall. Shippo had changed considerably since she had last seen him. Gone was the cute but bratty child she served as a surrogate mother for. He was replaced by a tall and handsome demon who looked no older than a fifteen year old. His eyes were filled with mirth and mischievousness. She had no doubt he lived up to the legends of the Kitsune.

She stretched her arms above her head and arched her back to alleviate the tension that had accumulated. Her crossbow was propped up on the log she was sitting on. Black combat boots lay next to her. She frowned at the mud that had accumulated on the scarred leather and grabbed a knife from her belt to pick it out.

Her armor was lain out across the log leaving her almost naked in a black tank top and spandex shorts. A Berretta M9 was still strapped to her leg however. The only weapons that made it through with her were her crossbow and the pistol. Explosive bolts and ultraviolet rounds that her crossbow and pistol fired would be sufficient in taking down vampires if she came across any more. Unfortunately she had a limited amount of ammunition and would run out if extended use was needed.

Thick chunks of mud fell from the boot sole into the stream. The cool water felt good against her blistered feet. Shippo had took to the sky in search food. Alone and relaxed, she let her mind wander.

The last thing she remembered was being in a Blackhawk on a night raid mission over downtown Chicago. NATO nations were the leaders in the fight against the vampires but America had not been spared its share of casualties and losses. Chicago was under martial law under the control of vampires. The residents who hadn't been lucky enough to escape or killed in the fighting were held in death camps. When vampires captured a city they enslaved its inhabitants using them as cattle and hostages. This limited the ability of governments to strike back with heavy weaponry and negated the use of nuclear weapons.

Night raids were the most dangerous type of missions as vampire activity was at its highest. However the days were not without its dangers. Humans loyal to vampires enforced their rule and had advanced weaponry to aid them. Vampires also weren't entirely nocturnal as the many legends said. As long as they didn't receive direct exposure to sunlight then they could fight. The highest ranking and most powerful vampires could actually walk in sunlight without bursting into flames. A fact which baffled military strategist and scientist. While night raids were the most dangerous they were also the least expected.

Kagome and her team were dispatched to take out a high ranking, day walking vampire believed to be one of the leaders of eastern United States front. Her superiors believed that his death would deal a crippling blow to the vampire offensive and could potentially be a turning point in the war. That is why they sent a spiritual commando unit.

There were 10 of them in the helicopter. Three spiritual warriors as they were called and seven regular, highly trained men. She was the only woman and the sniper assigned to take the shot. Spiritual energy along with UV (ultraviolet) rounds and explosives were the most effective ways to kill vampires. The world governments had yet to figure out how to weaponize spiritual energy so those with spirit powers served as energy sources who could charge their comrades ammunition.

The Blackhawk they flew in was a modified variant of the general design with sound canceling panels and radar absorbing surfaces. These modifications made the Blackhawk sleeker and harder to detect. Vampires had set up extensive anti-air defenses throughout the city so to decrease their radar signature even further they flew low, just clearing the roof tops. They were twenty minutes from the drop zone when the tail was hit by a surface to air missile. Thomas, her spotter grabbed her hand tightly before a second impact shook the airframe and knocked her from her seat. She woke up in a forest in Japan one hundred and forty eight years in the past. Hours had passed with her wandering in the forest until she found the village Shippo and the vampire fought in.

She had just finished cleaning her boots when Shippo landed. He ran over to her shouting "Fire, Kagome."

"Where?" She asked, already out of the water and pulling the skintight suit of her under-armor over her muscular legs. It was tough as the suit was designed to cling like a second skin.

"Just south from here. It's a village. I can see smoke but I can't get in, there's some kind of barrier in the way."

"Alright just a second." Kagome grunted as she pulled on the armor and winced in pain as she brushed a gash on her back. Shippo noticed this and made a move to help her but Kagome waived him off. "It's just a flesh wound."

"Kagome, let me help you" Shippo protested.

"I'm fine. Come on lets go. We have to help out that village."

Shippo gave her a worried look but turned into the massive hawk anyway. She climbed on his back and then they were skyward. In the air she could see the thick plume of smoke rising in the south. As they drew closer she could see that the fire had spread into the surrounding trees and threatened to turn into an inferno. The village was in the center of the flames. A barely visible blue barrier encased the village in a dome rising seventy feet in the air.

Shippo set her down ten feet away from the dome in a clearing free from flames. Smoke still hung in the air, stinging her eyes. The interior of the dome was opaque, the smoke forming a screen she couldn't see through.

"I can't get through that barrier but the flames have spread past it. I'm going to try and put them out" Shippo told her. His voice projected into her mind.

"How are you going to stop a forest fire?"

"The flames reek of magic, meaning someone purposefully lit this fire to destroy the village. I can fight magic with magic."

Kagome nodded in understanding. "I'll see if the villagers are alright."

"Be careful Kagome." Shippo flapped his wings and suddenly he was airborne. He turned sharply and went out of sight. She pulled her mask and goggles from her utility belt at her waist. The mask was made of the same material as her armor and would protect her face from the flames. Her goggles had variable vision settings and would allow her to see through the smoke.

She extended her hand to the surface of the barrier and watched as it rippled, allowing her entry. Her vision went blue and she could make out the outlines of buildings, the image became sharper as she drew closer. At the village entrance there were the bodies of two guards. When she turned them over to check for a pulse, their ripped out throats greeted her eyes. Her M9 was out in an instant. Slowly making her way through the village, she checked each structure for life and found none. The variable imagery in her goggles blurred as she whispered a command "Infrared."

The fires that raged in the surrounding forest undoubtedly started in the village, evidenced by the gouges and burn marks on the structures in the village. However no flames burned anymore and it was strangely quiet for a place surrounded by a firestorm. At the center of the village she saw multiple heat signatures in a large structure. Most likely an inn or a community building. She knocked on the door of the inn and received no answer. The sliding door made a loud creaking noise as she entered.

Her vision was in transition when she instinctively ducked, dodging a swipe of a sword aimed at her head. Before her attacker could swing again her boot slammed into his chest. She followed with an elbow to his face and then spun and hit him with a roundhouse kick that sent him to the ground. Her next attacker announced his charge with a battle cry. A mistake. He came from behind her but she turned quickly and her hand grabbed his wrist. Using his momentum, she twisted his arm and flipped him over her shoulder. Her boot slammed into his chest before he could recover. Two men came at her simultaneously from either side. Their vision was limited unlike her with her goggles so when she ducked to avoid the swing of a stick from one of her attackers it slammed into the face of his friend. The man toppled over behind her and his friend soon followed when his knee collapsed from a swipe of her hand. His nose broke as her knee slammed into his face.

She cartwheeled backwards and her back hit the wall. In her hands were her pistol and combat held at ready. Five men stood before her all armed with any sharp object they could find. Her goggles current vision settings didn't allow her to view their expressions in detail but she could tell from their expressions that they feared her. Before she could reason with them a voice cut through the pause in action and yelled "STOP!"

One of the men, the farthest to her right yelled "Grandma, what are you doing?! Get out of here it's too dangerous. It's a demon!"

"I'm not a demon! I'm here to help!" Kagome yelled with indignation.

The men gaped at her in disbelief. One of them, the farthest to her left whispered loudly "A woman's voice. A she demon!"

"I'm not a she demon. I'm human and a priestess."

"Impossible. No human can move that fast! And certainly no normal woman can take on four men at once."

"If I was a demon then I would have killed your friends and I could have never crossed your barrier. I'm a human and a girl, trust me" Kagome said patiently. Her eyes scanned the room, watching as the old lady who yelled drew closer to the men. Much to her grandsons chagrin.

The men acknowledged the point she made and whispered to each other, this time in tones too low for her to hear. After a minute of deliberation one of them turned to her and whispered 'Prove it."

"Okay I will." She slowly lowered her weapons and watched as they gripped theirs more tightly. There was about ten feet between her and the men. Kagome was confident that she could grab her weapons if they tried anything but if they all came at her simultaneously then she would be forced to use her pistol. Her knife touched the ground first followed by her pistol. Feeling vulnerable she quickly pulled off her goggles and set them on the floor. The darkness wasn't as bad as she feared. Light spilled from the door she entered from and a few sky lights punctuated the roof. She could still make out the men's outlines and the exact location of her Berretta.

Her mask clung tightly to her face covering her eyes longer than she felt comfortable. Raven hair tumbled down stopping just before her shoulders. The men and old lady gasped in amazement. "Is that really you? I don't believe it" the old lady said. Her eyes were wide with disbelief.

Kagome frowned in confusion "Yeah, who do you think I am?"

Before the old woman could answer her grandson grabbed her shoulders, stopping her walk towards Kagome. "Wait grandma, it could be a trick. You know how deceitful they are."

"Yeah, it could be a trap. You said that you were a priestess, prove that! Your face could just be an illusion."

Kagome motioned to the crossbow on her back. "I could shoot a bolt with spiritual energy wrapped around it."

The men pointed their weapons at her. "Do you think we're dumb? We're not going to let you draw your weapon!" Their impromptu leader yelled.

Kagome sighed and resisted the urge to slap her forehead. "Well how can I prove that I'm a priestess?"

"Do something priestess like!" One of the men yelled. The other men grunted their agreement.

Kagome frowned again and raked her brain to find an action she could do that was 'priestess like'. She smiled as an idea appeared. "Okay, here it goes." She closed her eyes and breathed deeply and maintained her breathing for half a minute with her hands clasped in front of her in a meditative pose. Suddenly her hand shout out and a blue ball of energy leapt from her fingertips. The impromptu leader gasped in surprise as the ball went through his chest and he fell backward in fear. "See a priestess that would have purified you if you were a youkai."

The four other men and the grandma dropped to their knees and bowed deeply in front of her. "The Shikon priestess has returned. We are saved."

Kagome blinked rapidly in surprise. "You know me?"

Again the grandmother spoke, her eyes never leaving the round. "We've been expecting you for a very long time Kagome. Our ancestors ford told your coming long ago. It is an honor to meet you."


End file.
